Latest news with #assisteddyingBill
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Changes to assisted dying bill mean 'no one is obliged to take part in process'
MPs voted to insert a new clause into the Assisted Dying Bill on Friday to say that 'no person', including social care workers and pharmacists, is obliged to take part in assisted dying and can now opt out. The Assisted Dying Bill will allow terminally ill adults, expected to die within six months, to seek help to end their lives. While the legislation passed its first stage in the House of Commons last November, the bill has been subject to amendments and is no longer the same. The clause 10 amendment was put forward by the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill's sponsor the Labour MP for Spen Valley, Kim Leadbeater. The original bill stated that no registered medical practitioner or other health professional would be under an obligation to help in the assisted dying process and would not be discriminated against if they did not want to assist. READ MORE: All you need to know as the assisted dying Bill returned to Parliament | News and Star Under the clause 10 amendment, this has been expanded to say that there is no obligation on anyone to assist in the process, providing protections to any staff who may be involved. MPs ran out of time to vote on other changes so further debate and voting will continue on June 13. Carlisle MP, Julie Minns voted against the amendment and has voiced her opposition to the bill.
Irish Independent
16-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
Explainer: All you need to know as the assisted dying Bill returns to British Parliament
The Bill is heading back to the Commons for its report stage where MPs will debate and vote on amendments The assisted dying Bill is back in the House of Commons on Friday, where MPs will once again debate the controversial issue. Here, we take a look at the Bill and how the process might work. Register for free to read this story Register and create a profile to get access to our free stories. You'll also unlock more free stories each week.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Royal College of Psychiatrists opposes Assisted Dying Bill
The Royal College of Psychiatrists has said it does not support the assisted dying Bill. Dr Lade Smith, its president, said the organisation remained neutral on the principle but had a number of concerns about the legislation in its current form. It found 'a number of issues' including the possibility a terminally ill patient could be suffering from a 'very treatable' mental disorder. Dr Smith said issues including the fact there is currently no requirement to inform family members have been raised 'repeatedly' with parliamentarians but have not yet been addressed. The move is significant because, under the Bill's current stipulations, a panel including a psychiatrist would oversee assisted dying cases. Speaking ahead of the Bill's return to the Commons on Friday, Dr Smith told BBC's Newsnight: 'After extensive consultation and consideration we have concluded that we just cannot support this Bill.' Detailing how a terminal cancer diagnosis could trigger a depressive disorder which could actually be treated, she said: 'People feel like ending their lives. 'But when you treat that depression, that wish to end their life goes. 'So there needs to be a requirement to assess whether or not a person who's wishing to end their life has actually got a mental disorder that could be treated, because that's different to someone who may be deciding to end their life when they don't have a mental disorder.' Dr Smith said 'unmet needs' such as pain, difficulty with their housing, finances and employment may make a patient feel 'lonely and isolated'. In November last year, MPs voted 330 to 275 to legalise assisted dying, in a historic vote. The Government did not support or oppose the Bill, with MPs able to vote according to their conscience. However, since then there have been a number of amendments including the fact applications will no longer be assessed by a High Court judge, but a panel of experts including psychiatrists. So far just two MPs – Lee Anderson and Rupert Lowe – have publicly declared they will change their vote at the next stage. On the fact family members do not have to be informed, Dr Smith said: 'If family members could support, that could change someone's view. 'Frankly as doctors we would like some guidance around whether or not this is that the parliamentarians consider this to be a medical treatment.' She added that the Mental Capacity Act was not designed to assess the capacity of patients in a decision on ending their life as it is 'irreversible'. Elsewhere, the Royal College of GPs also warned its members have real concerns about the implications of the Bill. Of the more than 1,000 who replied to a questionnaire about it sent by the BBC, more than 500 said they were opposed to the Bill. It comes as Scotland moved a step closer to introducing the controversial legislation on Tuesday. MSPs supported the principles of the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill by 70 votes to 56, allowing it to clear its first parliamentary hurdle at Holyrood. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
The Independent
08-04-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Health Secretary still plans to oppose assisted dying Bill
Wes Streeting has said he still plans to oppose the assisted dying Bill but that MP Kim Leadbeater's work on it so far has been 'extremely helpful'. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has undergone significant changes since it succeeded in an initial vote in Parliament in November, which the Health Secretary opposed. The High Court safeguard has been dropped and replaced by expert panels, while the implementation period has been doubled to a maximum of four years for an assisted dying service to be in place should the Bill pass into law. Ms Leadbeater, the MP behind the proposed legislation, and its supporters say the Bill has been strengthened and made more workable, but opponents have claimed the committee process was rushed and chaotic. 'I think what Kim Leadbeater has done is extremely helpful,' Mr Streeting told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. The Government as a whole is neutral on the question but has sought to work with Ms Leadbeater and MPs supporting and opposing the Bill to make it workable, he said. 'To make sure that, whatever our own views on the merits of the Bill itself, that the Bill is workable, so that if MPs and peers choose to pass the assisted dying Bill into law, that it is a workable law,' he said. Asked if he would vote for it, he said: 'No, I won't be voting for it, but I do welcome the constructive approach that Kim Leadbeater has taken.' Mr Streeting has previously suggested it could cost the NHS more if assisted dying is brought in. He said it is 'fine' that other colleagues in the Government and the Department of Health and Social Care 'take a different view'. 'It's a free vote and and it will remain so as this Bill goes through,' Mr Streeting added. He said Ms Leadbeater and supporters of the Bill are taking the right approach 'even if I might, respectfully, disagree with them on the merits of the Bill overall'. The Bill returns to the House of Commons this month for further debate. Eligibility for an assisted dying service under the proposal remains with only terminally ill adults in England and Wales with fewer than six months to live. The Bill proposes someone fitting this criteria should be legally allowed to end their lives, subject to approval by two doctors and an expert panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. MPs are expected to vote on further amendments to the Bill at report stage on April 25. If time allows, MPs could also vote on whether to approve the Bill at third reading – its final stage in the Commons – and decide if it is then sent to the House of Lords for further scrutiny. Voting is according to conscience so MPs do not vote along party lines on this issue.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Health Secretary still plans to oppose assisted dying Bill
Wes Streeting has said he still plans to oppose the assisted dying Bill but that MP Kim Leadbeater's work on it so far has been 'extremely helpful'. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has undergone significant changes since it succeeded in an initial vote in Parliament in November, which the Health Secretary opposed. The High Court safeguard has been dropped and replaced by expert panels, while the implementation period has been doubled to a maximum of four years for an assisted dying service to be in place should the Bill pass into law. Ms Leadbeater, the MP behind the proposed legislation, and its supporters say the Bill has been strengthened and made more workable, but opponents have claimed the committee process was rushed and chaotic. 'I think what Kim Leadbeater has done is extremely helpful,' Mr Streeting told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. The Government as a whole is neutral on the question but has sought to work with Ms Leadbeater and MPs supporting and opposing the Bill to make it workable, he said. 'To make sure that, whatever our own views on the merits of the Bill itself, that the Bill is workable, so that if MPs and peers choose to pass the assisted dying Bill into law, that it is a workable law,' he said. Asked if he would vote for it, he said: 'No, I won't be voting for it, but I do welcome the constructive approach that Kim Leadbeater has taken.' Mr Streeting has previously suggested it could cost the NHS more if assisted dying is brought in. He said it is 'fine' that other colleagues in the Government and the Department of Health and Social Care 'take a different view'. 'It's a free vote and and it will remain so as this Bill goes through,' Mr Streeting added. He said Ms Leadbeater and supporters of the Bill are taking the right approach 'even if I might, respectfully, disagree with them on the merits of the Bill overall'. The Bill returns to the House of Commons this month for further debate. Eligibility for an assisted dying service under the proposal remains with only terminally ill adults in England and Wales with fewer than six months to live. The Bill proposes someone fitting this criteria should be legally allowed to end their lives, subject to approval by two doctors and an expert panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. MPs are expected to vote on further amendments to the Bill at report stage on April 25. If time allows, MPs could also vote on whether to approve the Bill at third reading – its final stage in the Commons – and decide if it is then sent to the House of Lords for further scrutiny. Voting is according to conscience so MPs do not vote along party lines on this issue.
